Peritoneal trocar apparatus and system

Abstract

A trocar for peritoneal dialysis is disclosed herein. An example trocar includes a conduit having two parallel lumens and a head connected to a first end of the conduit. The head includes two parallel lumens that are aligned respectively with the two parallel lumens of the conduit. The trocar also includes a coupler connected to the head. The coupler includes two (or more) parallel lumens that are aligned respectively with the two parallel lumens of the head. The coupler includes a coupling mechanism for securing surgical tools in place after insertion into a patient. The trocar may also include an obturator having a shaft that is removably inserted through the coupler, the head, and the conduit to protrude from a second end of the conduit.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A trocar apparatus comprising:
 a conduit having two parallel conduit lumens, the conduit including a first end and a second end;   a head connected to the first end of the conduit, the head including two parallel head lumens that are aligned respectively with the two parallel conduit lumens, the head having a width that is greater than a width of the conduit to prevent the trocar apparatus from slipping into a patient at an insertion location; and   a coupler connected to the head, the coupler including two parallel coupler lumens that are aligned respectively with the two parallel head lumens, the coupler including a coupling mechanism that includes a locking ratcheting mechanism having a straight rectangular bar located at a top of the coupler connected to a wall between the two parallel coupler lumens that is rotatable at a midpoint of a longer axial length of the straight rectangular bar about a center of the coupler between an unlocked position and a locked position to secure via direct contact with the straight rectangular bar, to the coupler, surgical tools located respectively within the two parallel coupler lumens.   
     
     
         2 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an obturator having two parallel shafts that are removably inserted through the coupling mechanism and respectively through the coupler lumens, the head lumens, and the conduit lumens, the obturator including an end that is configured to protrude from the second end of the conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an obturator having a shaft that is removably inserted through the coupling mechanism and through one of the coupler lumens, one of the head lumens, and one of the conduit lumens, the obturator including an end that is configured to protrude from the second end of the conduit,
 wherein the end of the obturator includes at least one of a sharp point, a sharp blade, a blunt tip, or a dilation tip for puncturing into a peritoneal cavity of the patient at the insertion location.   
     
     
         4 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the obturator is configured for removal from the one of the coupler lumens, the one of the head lumens, and the one of the conduit lumens after insertion of the trocar apparatus into the peritoneal cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the two parallel conduit lumens are separated from each other via a flexible membrane wall or the two parallel head lumens are separated from each other via the flexible membrane wall. 
     
     
         6 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein an obturator is configured to press against the flexible membrane wall when a shaft of the obturator is inserted through one of the two parallel coupler lumens and one of the two parallel head lumens causing the flexible membrane wall to close or reduce a width of another one of the two parallel head lumens. 
     
     
         7 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism of the coupler includes at least one of an elastomeric gasket or seal. 
     
     
         8 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical tools each include at least one of an insufflation tool, an endoscope, a fluid aspiration tool, an electro-surgery device, a laparoscopic manipulator tool, or a catheter. 
     
     
         9 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the conduit is between 3 millimeters (“mm”) and 15 mm, the width of the head is between 8 mm and 50 mm, and a thickness of a wall of the conduit is between 0.1 mm and 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a length between 5 centimeters (“cm”) and 15 cm. 
     
     
         11 . A trocar apparatus comprising:
 a conduit having at least one lumen, the conduit including a first end and a second end;   a head connected around an exterior of the conduit at the first end and configured to prevent the trocar apparatus from slipping into a patient at an insertion location, the head including two parallel head lumens; and   a coupler connected to the head, the coupler including two parallel coupler lumens that are aligned respectively with the two parallel head lumens, the coupler including a coupling mechanism that includes a locking ratcheting mechanism having a straight rectangular bar located at a top of the coupler connected to a wall between the two parallel coupler lumens that is rotatable at a midpoint of a longer axial length of the straight rectangular bar about a center of the coupler between an unlocked position and a locked position to secure via direct contact with the straight rectangular bar, to the coupler, surgical tools located respectively within the two parallel coupler lumens.   
     
     
         12 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the head includes a third parallel head lumen and the coupler includes a third parallel coupler lumen that is aligned respectively with the third parallel head lumen, and wherein the coupler includes the coupling mechanism for each of the two parallel coupler lumens and the third parallel coupler lumen. 
     
     
         13 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling mechanism of the coupler includes at least one of an elastomeric gasket or a seal. 
     
     
         14 . The trocar apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling mechanism is configured to connect to a catheter and at least one of an insufflation tool or an endoscope.